


Seek and you Shall Find

by CassFear84



Category: Fast and the Furious Series, The Fast and the Furious (2001)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-16
Updated: 2014-09-01
Packaged: 2018-01-04 21:07:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,667
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1085707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CassFear84/pseuds/CassFear84
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Vince and Brian, from their own perspectives. A different take on "The Fast and the Furious", if Vince and Brian really liked each other and nobody liked Mia.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own anything related to "The Fast and the Furious". I'm making no money here, so don't sue me.
> 
> Also, I've always loved Vince/Brian. I just wish I'd written this before Nov 30th. Paul Walker was awesome in every way. To me, he'll live forever as Brian O'Conner.
> 
> Last but not least, Brian is not a cop! And I don't drive, nor do I know anything about cars and driving. Hopefully, my ignorance on the subject will pass inadverted.

VINCE

 

The sound of the engine is off. It’s been off for a whole fucking day. Jesse said he fixed it, and yet here it is, driving me fucking insane. Dammit! I’m never gonna get to test it out before race wars if the engine keeps overheating for no reason. Damn kid with the fucking crazy scientist complex.

I relax a little as I see the shape of the Toretto’s shop up ahead. A nice cold soda should help me cool down. Yes, I said soda. Despite what people might think, I’m not a completely irresponsible douche. Don’t get me wrong. I enjoy a nice cold Corona too. I just don’t drink and drive. I learned _that_ lesson the hard way back in high school. Earned me too many broken bones and a month in hospital, thank you very much.

I try to slow down as I approach Toretto’s. The car stops suddenly, though, which means the breaks may be causing some of the problems. Jesse’d better figure it out soon. Letty and Leon park next to me. I’m popping the hood to let my engine breathe when I see a familiar red truck parked opposite to me. I know who it belongs to and it’s making my blood boil already. I immediately turn towards the shop, where I see Mia leaning over the counter in her most flirtatious stance. Sitting across from her is the guy I don’t need to see right now. Not fucking now. He’s hunched over his sandwich, shoulders slumped, head bent. The stool he’s sitting on must be uncomfortable, because he keeps shifting his feet from the ground, to the sides of the stool, to the metal bar below the counter. Every time he moves, his jeans ride a little lower, exposing a bit of skin. It’s enough to make me shiver and I clench my fists to control the urge to go up there and tear that shirt off of him. Mia notices me in the background, smirks, and leans closer to him. She’s doing it on purpose, flirting with him, stringing him along. I know this for a fact. I know she’s into Leon. But every time this guy comes over, at least when I’m around, she acts like she wants him to take her to the back room. If she’s doing it to make Leon jealous, it ain’t working. And plus, she’s always smirking at me, that bitch.

She discretely glances at me again and flips her hair back. This time he responds by straightening up. _That’s it!_ I flip. That fucking slut. Like I’m gonna let her get her dirty hands on that fine specimen of a man.

Before I know it, I’m heading over there, fuming. I’m not really sure what I intend to do. I sure as hell ain’t gonna hit a girl, but I can’t really tell her to back off either. Anyway, my jealousy’s got the best of me and I’m striding like I wanna break stuff. The guy beats me to it, though, getting up and walking past me before I can say shit.

I wanna let it go, I do. But I’ve come this far and I’m never gonna hear the end of it if I just go back to my car. Plus, Mia’s smirking like she’s got me all figured out. Bitch.

I shout out some shit about him trying some other lunch bar, he replies he likes the tuna here. _Bullshit **,**_ no one likes the tuna here, which really means he’s here for _her_. He says he does. And fuck it, I swing at him with all my strength.

Now, looking back on this, I’ll probably agree that it’s childish and I shouldn’t have started a fight. What you need to bear in mind is that, _a:_ this guy really turns me on and that frustrates me; and _b:_ I do stupid shit when I’m frustrated. What can I say? Punching him is the closest I’ll ever be to touching him.

However, I barely get a chance to enjoy our physical exchange. And yes, I’m enjoying the fist-fight. He’s stronger than he looks and he lands some pretty good punches. His eyes look wild and his breathing is frantic. I wonder what he’s like when he fucks. _Oh fuck, there’s Dom_ , and he doesn’t look happy.

Dominic Toretto isn’t just big. He’s strong and collected. I’m pretty sure he could take Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson in a fight any day. He separates us like he’s moving pillows and I’m told to shut the fuck up, which I do.

The blonde tries to explain himself but Dom won’t let him. He tells Jesse to get his wallet and reads out the name.

“Brian Earl Spilner. Sounds like a serial killer name. Is that what you are?”

Brian. I test the name out on my tongue as they keep arguing. Yeah, he looks like a Brian. Beach boy, probably surfer if his tanned skin is anything to go by. I can imagine him riding a wave, smiling like he’s got no worries, blonde hair flying in the wind, blue eyes sparkling.

Unfortunately, my daydreaming’s got in the way and I’ve no idea where Brian went or what Dom said to him. I’m guessing nothing good and I’m about to get my own.

Dom nods and the others go back inside. It’s just me and him out on the road. It’s noon, the sun is burning like hell but it has nothing to do with the heat I feel. He just looks at me, head slightly turned to the side, like he’s trying to read something on my face. Now, there are a lot of questions implied here. I know what he’s thinking. He knows me too well to think this is about Mia. I haven’t really told anyone I’m gay, but I don’t exactly hide it either. I mean, the team have never seen me with either men or women, but they’ve never asked or taunted me like they do Jesse, asking him when he’s gonna get a girl and should Letty and Mia hook him up with someone. Hell, I’ve known Dom since the third grade and not once has he asked me if I had a girlfriend.  None of them have. It’s like we have this agreement that I don’t talk about my private life. To be fair, I don’t go around asking them about _their_ sex life, you know?

“Vince,” it’s not a question. He puts a heavy hand on my shoulder and I look down.

Shit. So he knows, doesn’t he? Am I gonna have to explain now? Do I have to _talk_ about it? Mia’s gonna make my life hell and I just _know_ Letty’s gonna start introducing me to every single gay guy she knows. I won’t tell her I’ve already fucked them and neither will they. We’ll just play along and feel uncomfortable. Great. I don’t want to do this right now, man. Come on!

“Fine,” he sighs.

I force myself to look up and I’m surprised by what I see. My best friend isn’t frowning in disappointment or grinning like a jerk. He’s just calm and open, just Dom.

“Fine,” he repeats. “But don’t let it happen again. Work your shit out, Vince.”

Thank God.

 

* * *

 

 

BRIAN

It’s hot as hell. And I’m from Miami, OK? I know hot. Good thing I don’t sweat that much. And the truck’s AC isn’t working. Isn’t that something? I work for an auto-part shop and my delivery truck’s missing a part. I’d laugh if I wasn’t so fucking hot. Fine, I’ll just smile.

It’s lunchtime by the time I finish delivering my packages. I know where I want to go. Toretto’s. It’s a small store located on the other side of town but it’s totally worth the drive. See, the food sucks. In fact, stale tuna on hard bread is the tastiest sandwich they’ve got. And the girl who works there is a pain. Every time I walk in there, she fixes her hair and straightens her clothes. Like that’s gonna help. She’d have to have a cock to interest me. Oh, well, it’s all good. I pretend I don’t mind her flirting, though I make sure I don’t flirt back. It’s not the first time people think I’m straight. I mean, people kind of _suspect_ I’m gay at first, but then for some reason they decide I’m not. Maybe it’s because I’m so friendly, always smiling. I tend to just shrug things off, people like that about me.

Then there’s the guy sitting in the back room, facing away, minding his own business. I’ve heard a lot about Dominic Toretto. Even back in Miami the guy’s a legend. One of the reasons why I moved to L.A. was to meet him, to race him. But I haven’t been able to do either yet. I’ve been coming to this shop for the past three weeks. It’s always the same. He sits in a room in the back, facing away, minding his own business. I wonder what it’ll take to get him to come out here. I’m not worried about it anyway. I know I’ll see him tonight in the streets, now that I finally got my Supra ready to race. And though meeting him outside the streets was my original reason for coming here, it stopped being a motive for me about two weeks ago.

Anyway, I take my usual seat at the bar, put up with Mia’s flirting and read a magazine. I’m about to take a bite of my sandwich when I hear the familiar roar of engines approaching. Mia hears it too. She smirks as soon as they park outside. _He’s here_. I know he is. I can sense a shift in the air, there’s tension now. This is why I keep coming here, this guy. I know his name is Vince. I’ve heard Mia call him that. Harry too, back at the shop. He sees me, I can feel his eyes burning holes in the back of my head. I feel a tingling in my groin and I start moving my feet around in my stool, trying to find a way to hide my boner. I’m not really sure what the deal is with him, if he’s gay or bi or homophobic. It doesn’t really matter. It’s this shift in the air, this electricity that passes between us that keeps me coming here.

I don’t have time to ponder this right now. Mia’s flipping her hair, which means she’s ready to pounce. I wipe my mouth and thank her. She looks disappointed, not that I care.

I’m walking to my car, painfully aware of my erection, hoping to God _he_ doesn’t see it. He looks like he wants to punch me when I walk past him, and I hear him shout something about Fat Burger and 2.95.

“I like the tuna here,” I say, when I really mean _I like you_.

He calls me on it ‘cause, yeah, the tuna here sucks. But  it’s not like I’m gonna tell him what I _really_ want to eat.

Up until today, that’s as far as it goes. We exchange a couple of curses, I get in my truck and the argument’s over. Sometimes I wonder if he really wants to do this or if it’s just an act he puts up in front of his gang. However, today he breaks our routine. Today, when I look at his reflection in my window, I see him swing at me. Luckily, I’ve got good reflexes and manage to deflect most of his punches. The thing is that he’s emanating this powerful earthy smell that’s making my head swim and I close my eyes for a nanosecond as he pushes me against the truck. I’ve had this fantasy before, except the gang shouldn’t be watching and we should be fucking instead of fist fighting.

I’m so caught up in this, in his smell and my arousal, that I don’t see Toretto coming. He takes Vince off of me with ease and orders him to stay put. I’m surprised when he obliges. That’s respect, right there. Then Toretto pushes me hard against the side of the truck, pressing a hand to my chest to keep me there. He tells the skinny guy, Jesse, to pick up my wallet and I curse myself when I hear him call me Spilner. I forgot to throw away my old ID and it’s not like I’m going to correct 200 pounds of fury for the sake of a surname. I’ll tell him my real surname is O’Conner, and why I have an ID that says Spilner, if we ever get close enough. Not that I see that happening right now.

The fact that he says he’s gonna get me fired pisses me off, but I know Harry will stick up for me. He has a hard time finding good employees and I’m good at my job. I’m confident he’ll keep me. Still, I find Toretto’s over-confidence annoying and now I get Mia a little more. Not enough to like her, but I get it.

I drive back to Harry’s in half the time it usually takes me because I’m fucking pissed. Harry comes up to me immediately, asking me, _begging me_ , to stay away from Toretto, that he and his friends are some of his best customers and he can’t afford to lose them just because I can’t _keep it in my pants_.

“If you want crappy tuna, just open my fridge. But for God’s sake, back off!”

It’s funny that the guy doesn’t swear. I’d pay to hear him say ‘shit’ once. And that’s how easily my smile returns.

“Wipe that smile off your face, kid. You need to get to work.”

There’s a race tonight and everyone needs parts. I put myself to work but can’t stop smiling. I’m finally going to race tonight. Toretto’s definitely gonna be there. I wonder if I’ll see Vince, too. Maybe I’ll race him one day. Not tonight, though. Tonight I gotta make him notice me. Mia’s not gonna get me anywhere. No, if I wanna get close to Vince, I gotta get close to Toretto first.


	2. Chapter 2

BRIAN

I’m hyped. My whole body’s buzzing in the gathering crowd. There must be hundreds of cars parked along the make-shift race track. I recognize most of the racers because they buy their parts at Harry’s. Hector, Edwin, I’ve met them before. And for every racer, there are at least ten girls ready to go. I don’t mind them, they’re good decoration. I act like I’m admiring the ladies, when I’m really checking out the drivers. I’m not gonna lie. Hector’s pretty hot. So’s Toretto. But Vince? That’s an entirely different ball park. The guy’s ripped, OK? That type of muscle definition doesn’t come easily. That’s a lot of hard work.  The kind of hard work that comes with lots of alone time and working out your own issues. I’m thinking that might be the case for him. It could be why he goes from calm to angry in five seconds. If I’m right, I can work with it, use it in my favor. I’m built the same way. Well, I’m obviously not built like _him_ , but I used to work out a lot when I was still figuring out who I was.

I’m standing next to my car, waiting for Toretto, when the crowd parts to let him and his gang through. The leader stands in the center of a circle formed by his opponents. I listen closely as he sets the rules: two large, winner takes all.

My breath catches when I see Vince sitting on the hood of his car, regarding his friend with approval. He’s wearing his same old jeans and sweatshirt, just watching the scene. I want him to see me, to notice me, to _approve_ of me. But I don’t have two thousand dollars on me.

I check my pockets for anything that might interest them and I remember I have the pink slip to my car. When I offer that instead of the money, Jesse tries to keep me out of it. I laugh when he compares Toretto to Ali. The guy may be the one to beat in L.A. but he’s not the best in America. I can’t help the jibe, though, and I point to Vince, reminding them I _can_ box, thank you very much. Vince snorts at me, but there’s a twinkle in his eyes, like he’s remembering the fight and wants to see what else I can do. At least, that’s what I hope he’s thinking. As soon as I say that if I win I want the cash _and_ the respect, he stands next to Toretto, studying me with curiosity. Toretto huffs and steps forward.

“Respect?”

“To some people, that’s more important.”

I make sure I keep my eyes trained on Toretto, even though I can tell I’ve got Vince’s attention. I know I have Toretto’s. He demands to check out my car and I’m happy to oblige. His mad scientist, Jesse, will have a field day if he can get his hands on my vehicle. I don’t want to admit it, but part of me is willing to lose the race, if only to see Vince again when I drop off their prize.

The racers accept my offer and I catch a glimpse of Vince as I’m getting in my car. He’s smiling at me. Good.

 

* * *

 

VINCE

I gotta say I’m impressed with Brian. He’s got a lot of balls to bet his own car. I mean, I know two thousand dollars seem like a lot when you gotta pay cash, but that car he’s driving is worth a hell of a lot more, not to mention the ten thousand he must have put in it to race it. The guy’s confident but wary. I like that. And for some reason, I’m not frustrated like I was earlier today when we met. Maybe it was the physical exchange that helped me vent a little. Or it might be that I have Dom’s approval. It’s not that I _need_ his approval, you know? But the guy means a lot to me. He’s like my brother. I’ve never needed him to know about the other guys I’ve been with. This time’s different. I feel like I have a connection with this Brian guy, though I haven’t had sex with him, not even kissed him. The only time we touched was in that fight today and it was electrifying. I need more. And one way or another, I’m gonna get more.

The race is about to start and I stand in the crowd. Brian’s car is closest to me, which means I have a perfect view of him from where I’m standing. He might have been smooth before, but now he looks nervous. It looks like he’s repeating the same phrase over and over. I can’t read his lips from the side and I’m too far away to hear him. I wonder what he’s thinking right now.

Finally, Hector gets the all clear from Leon and he signals for the race to start. The crowd is ecstatic. They all know, as well as I do, that Dom’s got this in his pocket. No contest. But we all wanna see what the blonde’s got. Maybe he has a shot. I know I’m rooting for him.

I can’t believe my eyes when he speeds past the other three cars. He’s almost there. I can imagine him grinning, thinking he’s done it. And then Dom gets his nitrous boost and he leaves everyone else, including Brian, behind. I almost growl.

Everyone’s cheering for Dom when he gets back. Mia collects the money, Letty jumps into his arms. Edwin and the Korean racer disappear as soon as they pay. Last, Brian comes up, smoke coming out of his engine. Jesse’s pissed. This is Dom’s car now and it’s almost drowned. Despite Jesse’s criticism and Dom’s taunting, Brian’s smiling like he won the jackpot. I wonder how he can just smile like that, in any situation.

Dom’s giving a speech about how winning is winning, but I can tell Brian doesn’t care. His eyes are searching for me in the sea of faces. He raced valiantly so I’ll give him this one. I step out, behind Jesse, straight into Brian’s line of vision. He sees me and our gazes lock for a moment. I’m about to come up to him, drawn like a moth to a flame, but Leon’s frantic voice is heard over a radio.

“Oh, shit! We’ve got cops, cops, cops, cops!”

The moment’s over. I run back to my car, trying to avoid the panicked bystanders who want to get out of here before the police arrives. Too late. There are sirens and blue lights everywhere I look. It’s risky, but I gotta make sure Dom and Brian are safe. I don’t start my car until I see them both drive away. That hits me like a rock, you know? I’m putting Brian, I guy I barely know, on the same level of concern I feel for Dom, my best friend since the third grade. What the hell is it about this guy that’s making me act like this? I don’t think I’ve ever felt like this before, or I would remember. I guess there’s a first time for everything. But Dom’s right, I gotta sort my shit out.

I manage to get away unseen and start my drive back to Dom’s. There’s an after-party and I’m hoping somehow Brian will show up. I wanna tell him that although he didn’t win the race, he’s got _my_ respect


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. So I haven't updated this in like forever. Which is odd, since I did finish writing the story. Hopefully, you like this chapter! Sorry for the long wait, but it is longer than the last one :D

BRIAN

I’m actually looking for Vince when I find Toretto running, I mean actually _running_ , away from the police. I briefly consider leaving him there, but then again that’s not me. Even if he did threaten to get me fired and then practically preached on about how I’m a loser, I can’t just let him get arrested if there’s anything I can do to help him.

He looks both relieved and incredulous when he gets into my car. He’s trying to speak too, but my reckless driving has him holding on for dear life. It’s a good thing I have experience in getting away from cops. And I know he’s going to demand explanations now.

“You drive like you’ve done this before,” he says. It’s not a question yet, but I know where he’s getting at. “What are you? A wheelman?”

I shake my head. I ain’t telling him shit about my past.

“Boost cars?”

“Nah, man,” I lie. Cause, yeah, I don’t really know if I should trust the guy just yet.

“Ever do time?” he keeps pressing.

“No, never.”

He snorts and I kick myself mentally. He found my Spilner ID, and if he looked up that name, he probably found all my records too.

Just as I suspected, he calls me on it. Now, I have a choice here. I could lie, say I picked up that fake ID not knowing about the records of the real Spilner. I glance at him and he’s looking back at me with this calm open expression, like he’s gonna accept whatever I tell him, no matter what, without question. I figure if I wanna earn his trust to get to Vince, I might as well reciprocate. I tell him the truth.

“Spilner was my father’s name. He used to boost cars with his buddies. Then I joined and for a while I was their wheelman, you know? Their getaway driver.”

I make a pause to gauge his reaction. So far, so good. I’m hoping he’s satisfied with that.

“So what about the two years in juvie?” he asks, of course he asks. He’s had Jesse look me up. It’s my fault, really, if only I’d had my current ID in my fucking wallet. I should’ve thrown that one away when I left Miami. I guess I kept it as a reminder.

“On this one job, I finally convinced him to let me boost one. He agreed. But turns out the cops knew we were coming and set us up. I was arrested on the spot.”

I stop talking. Maybe he won’t ask. Please, don’t ask.

“And your dad?” he asks. His voice is low and even, like he knows this is a delicate subject.

I tighten my grip on the wheel. Why am I even talking about this? It’s in my past, it’s over. I’ve changed my name. I don’t need to remember this shit. Yet, Dominic is so quiet sitting next to me, and he seems genuinely interested, that I cave.

“My dad was the one who tipped off the cops, to get a reduced sentence. I did my two years and changed my name to O’Conner. Case closed.”

He opens his mouth to say something else, when we hear motorcycles approaching.

“Great,” he laments. “It’s going to be a long night.”

 

 

VINCE

I’m restless. Dom should have been here an hour ago. Something’s happened. I try his cell again, it’s off. He either ran out of battery or he’s in cuffs. Fuck! I look around the living room again. People are dancing, laughing. Leon’s sitting on an armchair with a girl on his lap, Letty’s playing video games, Jesse’s making out with a girl. Am I the only one who’s worried here? For fuck’s sake! I grab my car keys and head out the door, just as I hear a cab outside. To my relief, Dom gets out, grinning. Behind him is Brian Spilner.

“Fuck, Dom! What the hell?”

I’m angry. Angry that he’s fine and I’ve been worried for nothing. Angry that he didn’t take my calls. Angry that he’s talking to Brian like they’re best buds now.

“Where the hell were you?” he asks me, angrily, no longer smiling. “The cops almost got me!”

“I had to make sure Letty and Mia made it back,” I explain. And wait, wasn’t I the angry one? Trust Dom to turn the tables. “I was on my way to get you, Dom! You didn’t even answer the phone! And why the hell did you bring the buster here?”

Dom looks guilty for a moment. He sees I was concerned. He knows I didn’t abandon him. But he’s still yelling. He’s up to something.

“Because the buster kept me out of cuffs! He didn’t just run back to the fort.” I know what he’s doing. He’s telling me to trust Brian, that he’s good. “The buster brought _me_ back.” Which means I should accept him, cause we’re on the same side.

Dom walks up to the house, me and Brian still on the sidewalk, staring awkwardly at each other. Fuck it, it’s time to make my choice. I either act like an adult and befriend him, or keep acting like a grade-schooler and fight him.

“Hey, Spilner. You want a beer?”

Brian smiles, surprised, and accepts. We walk into the house together, side by side, and I can feel myself reacting already. What is it about this guy?

Leon and Jesse are being yelled at. That’s what they get for watching their own asses. Leon’s trying to explain why he didn’t go out to get him, but Dom’s having none of it. If there’s one thing that big guy can do, it’s read people. He knows when you’re lying, when you’re hiding something, when you’re just being you. It’s why people are so drawn to him.

I glance back at Brian and see him watching my friend with respect. Yeah, he’s got Brian’s attention, alright. I’m not jealous, though. Well, not _that_ jealous, ‘cause Dom’s straight as they come. But I gotta say, I’d love to be on the receiving end of that look right there.

Dom walks back to us, holding a beer in one hand, two beers in the other.

“You can have any beer you want,” he says, smirking at us. “As long as it’s a Corona.”

Brian grins and takes one. It’s amazing, you know, to see him smile. He smiles with his entire body. His eyes twinkle, he shows his teeth, he curves his back, even his feet dance when he smiles. It’s a sight, I tell you.

“Enjoy that. It’s Leon’s,” Dom warns him.

The blonde looks straight at Leon, defying, and wipes the bottle with the hem of his shirt. Leon looks like a rabid dog, but he stays put because Dom’s still in sight. I know as soon as big old Toretto disappears, Leon’s gonna want blood. He _was_ just humiliated in front of everyone, and then Brian goes and does that. I gotta give it to the kid, he’s got balls.

“Hey, O’Conner,” Dom calls out before going upstairs with Letty. “You still owe me a ten-second car.”

Brian nods and takes a sip of his beer. I’m standing there confused as hell. O’Conner? I thought Brian’s last name was Spilner. And what was that about the ten-second car? Dom _won_ Brian’s car tonight. Then again, they did drive up here in a cab.

I must be looking real lost, cause Brian pats me in the back and shakes his head. I wanna ask him what the fuck’s going on, but Leon, Jesse and Mia – when the hell did she get down here?—are closing in on us, the guys looking dangerous, Mia looking like she scored.

“Did I see you wiping _my_ beer?” Leon says, murder in his eyes.

I know my friend. He’s angry and wants to take it out on someone. The blonde chose the wrong night to be here.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake! Will you cut it out?” Mia steps between them like she’s queen bitch and we must do as she says. Yeah, she’s Dom’s sister, but she doesn’t get to tell us what to do.

Brian actually grimaces like he’d rather fight Leon than let Mia ‘defend’ him. I roll my eyes at her antics. Woman, this guy’s _mine_.

“Don’t worry, Mia. We were just being friendly,” I say, and the guys back off because, what do you know? If Dom likes this guy, and so do I, then they’re pretty much outnumbered. Leon can hold his own in a fight, but Jesse’s mere decoration. Mia turns around, confused and pissed that I didn’t let her finish her act, and I tug on Brian’s arm, leading him into the kitchen. “Come on, buster. Let’s get another beer.”

 

BRIAN

Wow. I could’ve been a fucking detective. Or a psychologist. What did I say, huh? In order to get to Vince, I had to get to Toretto first. Well, been there, done that! Oh man, I’m good, I’m fucking good. Not only do I have a clear path to Vince now, I’m pretty much fucking untouchable. As long as I’m in Dom’s good graces, I’ll get to race as much as I want. And if Vince is as into me as I’m into him, he’s gonna make sure Mia keeps her paws away, and Leon and Jesse will have to man up and shut up. So far, so good. Except now I’m in the kitchen alone with him, and I feel like I have to make a move, but I don’t know what to do. So far, most of our encounters have been hostile. I know how to rile him up. Right now, though, I’m on unsteady ground. How do I know that I won’t do or say something wrong? Fuck me and my insecurities.

I’m saved the trouble of having to speak first when Vince leans against the kitchen counter, hands me another Corona and regards me with curiosity.

“I gotta ask,” he starts, that gruff voice sending shivers down my spine. “Is it O’Conner or Spilner?”

Right, Dom called me O’Conner just now. Probably on purpose. I’m not sure if I should tell him. I mean, I told Dom with good reason and I definitely want Vince to know. But I don’t know if I can talk about this twice in one night, and when I do tell him, I want to tell him everything. Not just the in-a-nutshell version I gave Dom.

“It’s a… it’s a long story,” I say, and I’m deflating. The night’s events are finally catching up to me.

“Hmmm,” he sounds unconvinced. “That doesn’t answer my question.”

He’s not angry or upset at my vagueness, so I’m relieved.

“It’s O’Conner. Brian O’Conner.”

He nods, puts down his beer – which is untouched – and motions me out the door.

“Alright, come one, O’Conner. I’ll drive you home.”

I’d argue that I just got here, but the truth is that I’m exhausted and I definitely need a shower.

I get in his car and, for the first time in three weeks, I feel myself relax. Vince’s car smells like him, earthy, strong. I could just fall asleep right here.

“Hey, O’Conner!” he rouses me. “I don’t know where I’m going.”

Right, I gotta tell him where I live. This is going to be embarrassing. I give him the address to the Racer’s Edge, expecting to be drilled about why I live in my workplace. He surprises me by pulling up there and not asking me shit. I thought I had this guy figured out. I guess I was wrong. Which is kind of exciting.

“I’ll see you back at the garage, right?” he says when I get out. I’m not sure what he means, so he clarifies. “You owe Dom a ten-second car.”

I grin. Yeah. I’m guessing Vince knows about Tran. I’m sure Dom will tell him if he hasn’t already.

“I’ll see you at the garage,” I confirm.

He waits until I’m safely inside before driving away. I like this guy. I don’t fully understand him yet, but I like him.

 


End file.
